Alecia Thomasson's "Mama's Boy"

Lately, most of us are discussing the harsh standards and roles of young girls, and how to raise them into proper ladies. For Hummelstown, PA based artist, Alecia Thomasson, she discusses the struggles and hardships young men endure, and the pressure of rising to society's masculine standards in "Mama's Boy." Read more about these struggles as she discusses the uprising of her brother:

"In America, there are certain pressures forced upon youth in order to achieve the accepted idea of 'success.' Our primary goal in life is to make our parents proud, and the only way to do that is to go to college, get a job, have a family, never do drugs, and always praise the Lord. Parents often force this idea of success onto their children right from the beginning. It has become routine to force children into organized sports, dress them to the parents approval, and regularly go to church. So we grow up in this mindset that we always have to fulfill the expectations set for us, and by doing so we often lose track of our dreams and settle for more rational lives.

My older brother, Michael, has been absorbed in this trap and has been struggling trying to achieve the American dream; this little Boy Scout regularly went to church with his family, always tucked his shirt in, and always did his chores. As he got older he still obeyed our parents, but was realizing he was unsatisfied and began to stray. After getting a job, going to college, graduating, and enlisting in the army, he became very depressed. When he was discharged, he became a suicidal alcoholic. It’s devastating to see someone with so much potential and all of the resources needed to flourish be destroyed by the pressure of trying to make a “good life” for himself.

The American dream should not be set as a whole group. Each one of us should have our own individual dream that we should follow for happiness.

Don’t go to college only because it’s the next step. Don’t get married only because it’s the next step. Don’t buy a home only because it’s the next step. Love what you do and spend your time indulging in things that excite you. Instead of trying to impress everyone, inspire everyone with your own euphoria. "